Mets' rotation questions deepen after Clay Holmes' latest uneven start in 11-3 loss

PHILADELPHIA — The New York Mets dropped their fifth straight game Wednesday, losing 11-3 to the Philadelphia Phillies, and manager Carlos Mendoza said the team’s starting pitching has been the biggest problem in the skid.

Clay Holmes, working in his first season as a full-time starter, issued a 29-pitch first inning that produced two unusual runs and set the tone for the rout. Holmes lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowed four runs on six hits, walked three batters, hit two and threw 76 pitches. Sean Manaea also contributed to early damage, surrendering multiple runs in his start Tuesday, and Mendoza said the club is weighing adjustments to how it uses the rotation.

"I think some guys from the rotation have had a tough stretch here," Mendoza said. "When we’re playing a lot of games in a row and we’re not getting decent length or decent outings, it has a trickle effect. On the pitching staff, on the bats. The game is obviously different."

Holmes said the early mistakes put the Mets behind immediately. "At that point we’re playing from behind," he said. Holmes entered Wednesday with a 3.75 ERA in 29 starts but has struggled to pitch deep into games. A sweeper that he missed in the first struck Bryce Harper and later an errant pitch hit Max Kepler for a run, after Harrison Bader’s single and Kyle Schwarber’s walk had put runners on base.

Mendoza acknowledged the front office has discussed using a piggyback approach — sending a starter for three or four innings and handing the game to a long reliever — and said some rotation pieces, including Holmes and Manaea, are intriguing candidates for that role because of their recent inability to go deep into games. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns previously confirmed such conversations had taken place.

"We’re counting on them … we need those guys," Mendoza said of Holmes and others. "The role in which we’ll need those pitchers remains unclear." The rotation as currently scheduled is set through Sunday, and the Mets have an off-day Monday that Mendoza said would be used to finalize pitching strategy. He said Manaea is slated for another start "as of now," while Holmes’ next turn had not been guaranteed following Wednesday’s outing.

The Mets offense provided little rescue. Newcomer Mark Vientos, who had been the club’s hottest hitter since Aug. 17 with a .1.144 OPS entering Wednesday, batted third for the first time this season and went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. New York’s lineup has been held in check by opposing starters for the fourth consecutive game, limiting the club’s ability to come from behind when the rotation falters.

Mendoza also offered updates on two players on the injured list. Tylor Megill, whose Triple-A rehab was halted last weekend by a recurrence of elbow discomfort, is seeking multiple medical opinions after experiencing tightness on off-speed pitches. Mendoza said he had not been informed of Tommy John surgery as a likely outcome and expected more information within 24 to 48 hours.

Jesse Winker’s season is over, Mendoza confirmed, after Winker’s rehab assignment was shut down because of a back ailment; the designated hitter is consulting with doctors on next steps. The Mets also noted that Frankie Montas underwent Tommy John surgery and had bone chips removed in a procedure performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

The bullpen, rested entering the game, failed to hold the deficit after Mendoza went to his relievers, and the manager emphasized the need for starters to finish outings. "It’s really just finishing off those outings," Holmes said.

With the playoff race and the season’s final weeks approaching, the Mets face decisions about how to deploy arms who have been effective in parts but unreliable in length. The club’s next scheduled off-day provides a natural point for the front office and coaching staff to meet and set a plan for the rotation, including whether to adopt piggybacking and how to manage the workload of recovering pitchers.

Cedric Mullins, who Mendoza said will get more opportunities against right-handed pitching, had a pinch-hit walk and later a single. Luisangel Acuña started at second base and Jose Siri started center field, each failing to produce offense in decisions Mendoza attributed to managing a stretched roster during an extended run of games.

The Mets travel forward while trying to balance immediate roster needs with long-term health considerations for pitchers who could be asked to work in nontraditional roles. How the club answers those questions will shape its approach for the remainder of the regular season.